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SMALL 
FRENCH  BUILDINGS 


THE  ARCHITECTURE  OF  TOWN  AND  CO!  NTRY 
COMPRISING  COTTAGES,   FARMHOUSES,  MINOR   CHATEAUX  <>R    MANORS 

WITH  THEIR   FARM  GROUPS 
SMALL  TOWN   DWELLINGS,  AND  A   FEW   CHI  RCHES 


BY 

LEWIS  A.   COFFIN,  Jr.,  HENRY   M.   POLHEMUS 
and  ADDISON   F.  WORTHINGTON 


t: 

NEW  YORK 

CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S   SONS 

1921 


Copyright,  1921,  by 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


PRINTED   AT 

THE   SCRIBNER    PRESS 

NEW  YORK,  X'.  S.  A. 


CONTENTS 


TAGE 


Small  French  Buildings i 

Cottages  5 

Churches  and  Chapels 61 

Town  Houses 73 

Chateaux,  Manors,  and  Farm  Groups 115 

Details 235 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

COTTAGES 

Plate  i.  Hamlet  near  L'Amaury,  Seine-et-Oise Frontispiece 

PACE 

Plate  2.  Shop  at  Concarneau,  Finistere 7 

Plate  3.  Brittany  cottage g 

Plate  4.  Typical  old  Brittany  cottage 11 

Plate  5.  Cottage  near  Freulleville,  Seine-Inferieure [3 

Plate  6.  Farmer's  cottage  near  Dieppe,  Seine-Inferieure 15 

Plate  7.  Stone  cottages  at  Conches,  Eure 17 

Plate  8.  Roadside  cottage  near  Beuzeville,  Eure [9 

Plate  9.  Cottage  at  Luneray,  Seine-Inferieure 19 

Plate  10.  Thatched  roof  Normandy  cottage  in  typical  setting 21 

Plate  ii.  Cottage  near  Totes,  Seine-Inferieure 23 

Plate  12.  Cottage  near  Totes,  Seine-Inferieure 23 

Plate  13.  Farm  cottage  near  Beautay,  Sarthe 25 

Plate  14.  Cottage  near  Totes,  Seine-Inferieure 25 

Plate  15.  Farm  cottage  near  Beautay,  Sarthe 27 

Plate  16.  Roadside  cottage  near  Lisieux,  Calvados 29 

Plate  17.  Thirteenth-century  house  at  La  Saussaye 31 

Plate  18.  Hamlet  near  L'Amaury,  Seine-et-Oise 33 

Plate  19.  Cottage  near  Amfreville,  P.ure 23 

Plate  20.  Farm  at  Bieville-en-Ange,  Calvados 35 

Plate  21.  Roadside  cottage  near  Authon,  Eure-et-Loir         35 

Plate  22.  Hamlet  near  Yerville,  Seine-Inferieure 37 

Plate  23.  Cottage  near  Quievercourt,  Seine-Inferieure 37 

vii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Pi  \  ii-:  24 
Plate  2; 
Pi.ate  26 
Plate  27 
Plate  28 
Plate  29 
Plate  30 
Plate  3 1 
Plate  32 
Plate  33 
Plate  34 
Plate  35 
Plate  36 


PAGE 

Cottage  near  Melamare,  Seine-Inferieure 39 

Village  near  Authon,  Eure-et-Loir         41 

Cottage  on  the  Dordogne,  near  St.  Cyprien 43 

An  entrance  to  Montfort,  Seine-et-Oise 4; 

Milage  street,  Montfort,  Seine-et-Oise 4; 

Cottage  near  Damville,  Eure 47 

Cottage  ot  Savigny,  Manche 49 

Cottage  near  St.  Jacques,  Plomb  du  Cantal 51 

Farmhouse  at  Marolles,  Calvados 53 

House  in  the  Dordogne  Valley 53 

A  southern  village 55 

Cottage  near  Ste.  Foy-la-Grande,  Gironde 57 

Cottage  near  Bergerac,  Dordogne 57 


CHAPELS 

Plate  37.  Chapel  at  Romorantin,  Loir-et-Cher 61 

Plate  38.  Farm  chapel  near  Brecy,  Calvados 61 

Plate  39.  Chateau  chapel  at  Millan^ay,  Loir-et-Cher 63 

Plate  40.  St.  Leger-en-Yvelines,  Seine-et-Oise 63 

Plate  41.  Hamlet  near  Concarneau,  Finistere 65 

Plate  42.  Church  at  Vaucelle,  Calvados 67 

P'  ate  43.  Church  at  Daoulas,  Finistere 67 

Plate  44.  Pont  Audemer,  Eure 69 

Plate  45.  Chapel  at  Chateau  Gratot,  near  Coutances,  Manche 69 

Plate  46.  Church  at  Noisy-sur-Oise 71 


TOWN  HOUSES 

Plate  47.     Shop  at  Landerneau,  Finistere 75 

Plate  48.     House  at  Landerneau,  Finistere 77 

Plate  49.     House  at  Landerneau,  Finistere 79 

viii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Plate  50.     Hotel  des  Trois  Piliers,  Landerneau,  Finistere 79 

Plate  51.     House  at  Hennebont,  Morbihan Si 

Plate  52.     Auray,  Morbihan 83 

Plate  53.     Le  Mans,  Sarthe 85 

Plate  54.     On  the  ramparts,  Mont  St.  Michel,  Manche          87 

Plate  55.     Nogent-le-Rotrou,  Eure-et-Loir 87 

Plate  56.     Houses  at  Conches,  Eure-et-Loir 89 

Plate  57.     House  at  Compiegne,  Oise 91 

Plate  58.     Old  house  at  Mennetou-sur-Cher,  Loir-et-Cher 93 

Plate  59.     House  at  Verneuil,  Eure 95 

Plate  60.     An  old  town  house 97 

Plate  61.     Restaurant  at  Etampes,  Seine-et-Oise 99 

Plate  62.     House  at  Beaulieu,  Correze 101 

Plate  63.     House  at  Couches-les-Mines,  Saone-et-Loire 103 

Plate  64.     House  at  Arnay-le-Duc,  Cote-d'Or 105 

Plate  65.     Pont  Audemer,  Eure 105 

Plate  66.     Caudebec-en-Caux,  Seine-Interieure 107 

Plate  67.     House  between  church  buttresses,  La  Charite,  Nievre 107 

Plate  68.     Street  at  Conches,  Eure 109 

Plate  69.     House  at  Arnay-le-Duc,  Cote-d'Or 109 

Plate  70.     House  at  Arnay-le-Duc,  Cote-d'Or 1 1 1 

Plate  71.     House  at  Arnay-le-Duc,  Cote-d'Or 113 

CHATEAUX,    MANORS,    AND    FARM    GROUPS 

Plate  72.     Entrance  to  manor  farmyard  near  Demigny,  Saone-et-Loire 119 

Plate  73.     Pigeon-house,  manor  near  Demigny,  Saone-et-Loire 121 

Plate  74.     Garden-house  near  Hennebont,  Morbihan 123 

Plate  75.     Chateau  Gratot,  near  Coutances,  Manche 125 

Plate  76.     Garden-house  near  Hennebont,  Morbihan 125 

Plate  77.     Le  manoir  de  Rouazle,  Finistere 127 

ix 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 


Plate  78.     Farm  on  Blaret  River  above  Hennebont,  Morhihan 129 

Plate  79.     House  at  Guiscard 129 

Plate  80.     House  near  Mercoeur,  Correze 131 

Plate  81.     Farmhouse  near  St.  Cyprien,  Dordogne  Valley 133 

Plate  82.     House  at  Brion,  Saone-et-Loire 135 

Plate  83.     Farmhouse  at  St.  Pierre-le-Viger,  Seine-Inferieure 137 

Plate  84.     Manor  at  Sainte-Marie-aux-Anglais,  Calvados 139 

Plate  85.     House  at  Esclarelles,  Seine-Inferieure 141 

Plate  86.     Manor  near  Freulleville,  Seine-Inferieure 141 

Plate  87.     Farmyard  near  Freulleville,  Seine-Inferieure 143 

Plate  88.     Entrance  to  farm  near  Neufchatel 143 

Plate  89.     Manor  farmyard  near  Freulleville,  Seine-Inferieure 145 

Plate  90.     Farmhouse  near  Lisieux,  Calvados 145 

Plate  91.     Farmyard  side  of  manor  near  Bures,  Seine-Inferieure 147 

Plate  92.     Manor  gate  near  Bures,  Seine-Inferieure 147 

Plate  93.     Farmyard,  manor  near  Bures,  Seine-Inferieure 149 

Plate  94.     Farm  buildings,  manor  near  Bures,  Seine-Inferieure 149 

Plate  95.     Farm  group  near  Neufchatel,  Seine-Inferieure 151 

Plate  96.     Horse  farm  near  Nogent-le-Rotrou,  Eure-et-Loir 151 

Plate  97.     Manor  stables  at  Arques-la-Bataille,  Seine-Inferieure 153 

Plate  98.     Manor  at  Esclarelles,  Seine-Inferieure 153 

Plate  99.     Manor  at  Croixdalle,  Seine-Inferieure         155 

Plate   100.     Inn  near  Bourdamville,  Seine-Interieure 155 


Plate  ioi 

Plate  102 

Plate  103 

Plate  104 

Plate  105 

Plate  106 

Plate  107 


Chateau  de  Bemecourt,  Eure 157 

Sixteenth-century  manor,  Monteille,  Calvados 157 

Gateway,  Manoir  d'Ango,  Varengeville,  Seine-Interieure 159 

Entrance  to  courtyard,  Manoir  d'Ango,  Varengeville,  Seine-Inferieure    .      .      .  159 

Farmhouse  near  Yerville,  Seine-Inferieure 161 

Manor  near  Lintot,  Seine-Inferieure 161 

Manor  at  Omverville,  Seine-et-Oise 163 

X 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Plate 

108. 

Plate 

109. 

Plate 

1 10. 

Plate 

in. 

Plate 

1 12. 

Plate 

"3- 

Plate 

114. 

Plate 

115. 

Plate 

116. 

Plate 

117. 

Plate 

118. 

Plate 

119. 

Plate 

120. 

Plate 

121. 

Plate 

1 22. 

Plate 

123. 

Plate 

124. 

Plate 

125. 

Plate 

126. 

Plate 

127. 

Plate 

128. 

Plate 

129. 

Plate 

130. 

Plate 

I3I- 

Plate 

132. 

Plate 

133- 

Plate 

134- 

Plate 

]35- 

Plate 

136. 

Plate 

137- 

Stables  near  Brecy,  Calvados 

Farmyard  near  Brecy,  Calvados 

Farmyard,  St.  Jean-de-Follerville,  Seine-Inferieure 

Farm  building  near  St.  Leger,  Saone-et-Loire 

Farmyard  near  Brezolles,  Fure-et-Loir 

Stable  near  Brezolles,  Eure-et-Loir 

Farmhouse  at  St.  Pierre-le-Viger,  Seine-Inferieure 

Farm  building  near  Brezolles,  Eure-et-Loir  

Entrance  court  facade,  Chateau  de  Brecy,  near  Bayeux,  Calvados     . 

Entrance,  Chateau  tie  Brecy,  near  Bayeux,  Calvados 

General  plan  of  Chateau  de  Brecy,  near  Bayeux,  Calvados 

Chateau  de  Brecy,  near  Bayeux,  Calvados 

Farm  near  St.  Leger,  Saone-et-Loire 

Chateau  le  Pin,  Calvados 

Stables  of  the  Chateau  Cheverny 

Stable  building,  Chateau  du  Bouissard,  near  Brezolles 

Chateau  de  Saint-Germain-de-Livet,  Calvados 

Chateau  de  Cantepie-Lisieux 

Entrance  to  Chateau  at  Couchey,  Cote-d'Or 

Stable-yard,  Millancay,  Loir-et-Cher 

Farmhouse  at  Monthelon,  Saone-et-Loire 

Farmhouse  near  Le  Neubourg,  Eure 

Farmhouse  at  Monthelon,  Saone-et-Loire 

Chateau  near  Millancay,  Loir-et-Cher 

Horse-farm  courtyard  near  Nogent-le-Rotrou,  Eure-et-l  ,oir 

Chateau  de  Villepreaux,  Creuse 

Farm  near  St.  Leger,  Saone-et-Loire 201 

Farm  near  St.  Leger,  Saone-et-Loire 203 

House  near  Vic-sur-Cere,  Cantal 205 

Farm  near  Gourdon,  Lot 207 


M3I 

6? 


65 

"7 

67 
69 

69 

7' 
71 
73 
75 
77 
79 
79 
81 

83 

85 

87 
89 

91 
9' 
93 
95 
95 
97 
97 
99 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 


Plate   i  j8.  Manoir  Duval  near  Freulleville,  Seine-Inferieure 207 

Plate   139.  Farm  near  Gourdon 209 

P       1:   140.  Farm  group  near  Rambouillet,  Seine-et-Oise 211 

Plate   141.  Stable-yard  near  Demigny,  Saone-et-Loire 211 

Plate   142.  Farm  near  La  Remuee,  Seine-Inferieure 213 

Plate   [43.  Mill  near  Murat,  Cantal 213 

Plate   144.  Farm  near  Domme,  Dordogne 215 

Plate   145.  Farm  group  near  Gourdon,  Lot 215 

Plate   146.  Farmhouse  near  St.  Cyprien,  Dordogne  Valley 217 

Plate   147.  Manor  at  Vaucelles,  Calvados 219 

Plate   148.  Gatehouse  of  Chateau  de  Royalhen,  South  Compiegne 221 

Plate   149.  House  at  St.  Symphories,  Tours 223 

Plate   150.  House  at  St.  Symphories,  Tours 223 

Plate  151.  Plan  of  manor  near  Libourne,  Gironde 225 

Plate   152.  Garden  elevation  of  manor  near  Libourne,  Gironde 227 

Plate  153.  Section  and  details  of  manor  near  Libourne,  Gironde 229 

Plate   154.  Farm  entrance,  manor  near  Demigny,  Saone-et-Loire 231 

Plate   155.  Stable  near  St.  Emilion,  Gironde 231 

Plate  156.  Manor  at  Arques-la-Bataille 233 

DETAILS 

Plate  157.  Farm-gate  near  La  Remuee,  Seine-Inferieure 237 

Plate  158.  Pigeon-house  at  La  Grande  Verriere,  Saone-et-Loire 239 

Plate   159.  Pigeon-house,  Manoir  Duval,  near  Freulleville,  Seine-Inferieure 239 

Plate  160.  Pigeon-house  near  Brezolles,  Eure-et-Loir 241 

Plate   161.  Pigeon-house  near  Chartres 243 

Plate   162.  An  octagonal  pigeon-house 245 

Plate  163.  Balustrade  at  Billom,  Puy-de-D6me 247 

Plate  164.  Window  grille,  Manoir  d'Ango,  Varengeville,  Seine-Inferieure 247 

Plate  165.  Loggia,  Manoir  d'Ango,  Varengeville,  Seine-Inferieure 249 

xil 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PACE 


Plate  166.  Detail,  house  at  Verneuil,  Eure 249 

Plate  167.  Bridge  at  Vendome,  Loir-et-Cher 251 

Plate  168.  Garden-gate,  Chateau  de  Sorel,  Dreux,  Eure 253 

Plate  169.  Farm-gate  near  St.  Jean-de-Follerville,  Seine-Inferieure 255 

Plate  170.  Gate  from  garden  to  farm,  Chateau  de  Brecy,  near  Bayeux 255 

Plate  171.  Farmhouse  doors,  Monthelon,  Saone-et-Loire 2^7 

Plate  172.  Gate  near  Evreux,  Eure 259 

Plate  173.  Farm-gate  near  St.  Jean-de-Follerville,  Seine-Inferieure 259 

Plate  174.  Farm-gate  near  La  Remuee,  Seine-Inferieure 261 

Plate  175.  Doorway  at  Le  Mans,  Sarthe 263 

Plate  176.  Doorway  at  Arnay-le-Duc,  Cote-d'Or 263 

Plate  177.  Door  at  Billom,  Puy-de-D6me 265 

Plate  178.  Church  entrance  at  Honfleur,  Seine-Inferieure 267 

Plate  179.  Farm  entrance  near  Lintot,  Seine-Inferieure 267 

Plate  180.  Detail  of  stone  garden-gate  of  house  at  Brion,  Saone-et-Loire 269 

Plate  181.  Garden-gate,  Arnay-le-Duc,  Cote-d'Or 271 

Plate  182.  Garden-gate,  Montfort,  Seine-et-Oise 273 

Plate  183.  Entrance  to  Chateau  de  St.  Georges,  Montagne,  Gironde 275 


Xlll 


S M A  LL      FRENCH      B  U  I  L  D  I  N  G S 

The  minor  architecture  of  France,  of  which  this  book  can  unfortunately  cover 
but  a  small  part,  comprises  a  field  worthy,  we  believe,  of  further  study  and  atten- 
tion. It  is  astonishing  that  these  small  buildings  have  received  so  little  attention 
as  compared  with  similar  types  of  other  countries,  notably  of  Italy  and  of  England, 
in  regard  to  which  a  considerable  number  of  books  are  available.  Why  these 
buildings  of  France  have  not  been  more  sought  out  and  preserved  in  publica- 
tion, it  is  difficult  to  say.  Perhaps  it  is  because  France  seems  so  distinctly  a  coun- 
try of  monumental  architecture,  that  its  lesser  and  more  modest  buildings  of  the 
country  and  the  provinces  have  come  little  to  the  attention  of  the  student-  per- 
haps because  the  finer  examples  are  quite  widely  scattered,  so  that  any  collec- 
tion of  such  material  must  of  necessity  be  difficult.  In  gathering  the  pictures 
and  other  data,  we  covered,  on  foot  and  cycle,  the  sections  of  France  that  seemed 
most  full  of  promise:  Normandy,  Brittany,  the  Cote-d'Or,  the  Dordogne  section, 
and  the  fertile  valleys  of  the  interior.  Of  course  it  was  impossible  to  reap  the  full 
harvest  even  of  the  parts  visited,  and  we  know  that  a  vast  mass  of  excellent  ma- 
terial remains  untouched  as  yet.  It  is  hoped  that  some  time  soon  most  of  it  may 
be  gathered  together  in  published  form,  for  much  that  is  worth  while  disappears 
year  by  year. 

In  choosing  our  material,  we  have  purposely  avoided  the  chateaux,  particularly 
those  familiar  ones  of  the  Loire  valley,  as  well  as  the  larger  and  better-known 
buildings  in  general.  Our  idea  has  been  to  include  only  the  smaller  chateaux, 
quite  unfamiliar  ones  off  the  beaten  track,  the  manors,  the  farm  groups,  and  the 
cottages  of  the  peasants.  At  first  there  was  every  intention  to  omit  all  churches, 
but  in  Normandy  and  often  elsewhere  it  was  quite  impossible  to  resist  photo- 
graphing the  quaint  little  churches  and  chapels  that  fit  in  so  well  with  the  coun- 
try, the  people,  and  the  surrounding  hamlets.  And  now  it  is  as  impossible  to  re- 
frain from  including  a  few  of  these.  The  majority  of  the  photographs  we  took 
ourselves,  so  for  their  quality  we  can  hold  to  account  only  ourselves  and  the  fickle 
weather  of  France.  A  few  pictures  we  bought  and  a  few  very  interesting  ones  have 
been  contributed  by  Mr.  Philip  L.  Goodwin,  to  whom  our  thanks  are  given. 

There  is  no  truer  mirror  of  a  people  and  a  civilization  than  their  informal  ar- 
chitecture. In  it  there  has  been  no  attempt  at  artificial  effect  and  very  small 
obeisance  to  the  passing  fashions.  The  buildings  of  the  French  farmer,  the  small 
landowner,  and  the  peasant,  are  as  indigenous  to  their  soil  as  the  poplar-trees  and 
poppies  in  the  fields.  The  Frenchman  is  and  always  has  been  a  lover  of  fine  words, 
of  gay  colors,  of  flowered  gardens,  of  piquancy,  and  of  originality.    So,  too,  are  his 

I 


SMALL   FRENCH   BUILDINGS 

buildings:  original,  hill  of  piquant  interest,  often  gay  of  color,  and  invariably  set 
around  with  hedge  and  flowers. 

The  variety  of  types— the  chateaux,  the  manors,  farms,  and  peasant  cottages 
—reflect  the  state  of  society  in  the  past,  those  widely  divergent  conditions  of  wealth 
which  existed  and  still  exist  to  a  lesser  extent.  Then,  too,  we  can  discern  the  in- 
fluences that  the  bordering  states  have  had,  where  the  sections  were  once  under 
the  control  of  some  neighbor  country,  as,  for  instance,  in  Normandy,  where  the 
rural  types  of  buildings  are  distinctly  English  in  character  and  material;  ami  on 
the  southern  slopes,  where  the  influence  of  Italy  can  everywhere  be  seen.  The 
path  of  the  Renaissance  remains  clearly  visible,  where  it  swept  up  from  Italy  and 
Spain,  fading  out  in  the  less  accessible  regions,  until  in  the  remote  sections  of  Brit- 
tany the  earlier  or  Gothic  forms  remain  clearly  predominant. 

We  are  hopeful  of  the  utility  and  of  the  pleasant  savor  of  this  material  to  any 
lover  of  good  building — for  its  very  freshness  and  playful  originality,  if  for  nothing 
else.  There  are  a  great  many  suggestions  of  value  in  these  old  types,  most  impor- 
tant perhaps  in  the  roof  shapes,  the  compositions  of  masses,  and  the  fitness  of 
house  for  setting.  Color,  unfortunately,  cannot  be  reproduced,  and  many  of  the 
buildings  are  particularly  of  interest  in  their  color  and  the  tones  of  their  ma- 
terials. In  the  introductory  notes  before  each  group,  an  attempt  has  been  made  to 
convey  as  much  as  possible  of  the  effect  of  the  materials  and  of  noteworthy  de- 
tails. Most  particularly  the  thick  stone  walls,  dry,  buttered,  or  stuccoed,  the 
broken  masses  of  the  roofs,  the  placing  of  chimneys  and  dormers,  the  fenestration, 
and  the  use  of  casements  are  features  worthy  of  careful  note.  The  usual  French 
house  has  little  to  offer  in  the  way  of  valuable  suggestion  for  modern  house  arrange- 
ment, so  we  have  thought  best  to  omit  any  study  of  such  plans  from  the  ma- 
terial. However,  two  plans  are  included,  both  very  interesting  in  their  general 
scheme.  That  of  the  Chateau  Brecy  shows  an  excellent  use  of  a  sloping  site 
for  a  walled  garden  in  a  series  of  ascending  terraces;  and  that  of  a  manor  near 
Libourne,  by  the  use  of  a  grassed  terrace,  moat,  and  four  immense  linden-trees, 
has  made  very  effective  use  of  a  practically  flat  site.  Regarding  detail,  we  have 
omitted  any  serious  presentation,  realizing  that  one  of  the  most  important  sug- 
gestions we  find  in  the  minor  French  buildings,  is  that  detail  of  elaborateness  and 
quantity  has  not  been  needed. 

Any  one  viewing  a  French  village  from  a  point  of  vantage,  must  remark  on  the 
manner  in  which  it  nestles  into  the  surrounding  country,  forming  a  part  and 
parcel  of  the  land,  and  not  staring  out  from  the  green  earth  like  a  blotch  on  the 
landscape.  Age,  of  course,  has  had  much  to  do  with  this  quiet  and  agreeable  re- 
sult, but  even  more  important  are  the  materials  that  have  been  used  in  construc- 
tion. In  most  cases  they  are  strictly  local:  the  stone  from  the  near-by  field  or 
brook,  thatch  from  the  meadow,  or  slate  from  the  hillside  quarry  close  by.  There- 
fore, it  is  quite  natural  that  the  buildings  are  but  a  more  definitized,  more  human- 

2 


SMALL   FRFNCH    BUILDINGS 

ized  form  of  the  country  about,  built  into  rambling,  picturesque  shapes  peculiarly 
suited  to  their  sites,  and  in  time  covered  with  moss  and  vine.  Then,  too,  the  small 
towns  and  isolated  buildings  have  not  suffered  from  the  disadvantages  of  eclec- 
ticism, except  in  a  few  unfortunate  places;  and  all  seem  to  go  very  pleasantly  to- 
gether, mildly  ruled  by  tradition,  no  matter  their  age.  Any  student  of  town 
planning  would  do  well  to  see  in  these  French  towns  what  variety  may  be  at- 
tempted, what  controlled  spontaneity  of  design  employed,  and  yet  what  a  con- 
gruous whole,  obtained. 

The  farm  group  is  also  particularly  suggestive;  to-day  we  have  much  of  this 
sort  of  building.  The  typical  French  farm  group,  comprising  numerous  build- 
ings, was  almost  invariably  built  around  a  court,  very  wide,  walled  about  and 
planted  with  "espalier"  fruit-trees.  The  informality  of  the  grouping  of  the  vari- 
ous buildings,  the  roof  masses,  walls,  and  entrance-gateways  have  many  sug- 
gestions to  offer.  For  country  houses,  the  smaller,  more  informal  chateaux,  the 
manors  as  well  as  the  larger  farm  buildings,  are  valuable  for  ideas  of  mass,  materials, 
and  details. 

It  is  our  hope  that  others  may  appreciate  these  little  buildings  and  find  in 
them  some  freshness  and  inspiration,  x*\nd  we  can  recommend,  from  pleasant  and 
profitable  experience,  this  simple  sort  of  architecture  to  any  one  who  may  find 
himself  in  France,  as  being  not  so  impressive  as  cathedrals  or  as  magnificent  as 
palaces,  but  very  worth  while.  For  in  its  quest,  one  learns  to  love  the  people, 
their  songs  and  laughter,  their  wheat-fields  and  poppies,  quite  as  fully  as  their 
buildings.  We  hope  that  this  book  may  bring  something  new  and  refreshing 
and  stimulate  an  enlivened  interest  in  a  field  rather  neglected  and  yet  very  worthy 
of  study. 


COTTAGES 

Under  this  head  have  been  grouped  the  small  cottages  of  the  peasant  farmer, 
which  have  little  architectural  detail  of  any  sort  but  the  charm  of  utter  sim- 
plicity, of  wonderful  color,  and  exact  fitness  for  their  settings.  Along  the  white 
roads  of  France  and  through  the  fields,  these  little  cottages  snuggle  down  behind 
their  hedges  and  flower-gardens,  so  old  and  softened  in  line  and  color  that  they 
seem  a  very  part  of  the  land  itself.  The  roof  lines  are  long  and  soft,  and  the  build- 
ings seldom  more  than  one  story  and  a  half  in  height.  The  most  usual  arrangement 
consists  of  two  main  rooms: — a  combination  living-room  and  kitchen,  and  a  bed- 
room— or  maybe  two — while  the  loft  above  is  accessible  only  from  an  outside  stair- 
way and  opening,  and  is  chiefly  for  storage.  Each  room  has  an  ample  fireplace, 
and  the  kitchen  contains  the  large  bake-oven. 

The  materials  of  construction  are  in  general  strictly  local,  and  the  resulting 
uniformity  is  largely  accountable  for  the  artistic  charm  of  the  small  French  vil- 
lage. In  the  north  are  found  the  thatched  roofs  and  half-timber  construction 
along  the  farm  roads,  while  nearer  the  towns  there  are  more  cottages  of  brick 
with  pan-tile  roofs.  In  Brittany  there  are  many  picturesque  little  cottages  of 
stone,  or  stone  podged  over  with  stucco,  with  gabled,  thatched,  or  slate  roofs,  and 
the  small  amount  of  detail  more  Gothic  than  aught  else.  The  forms  of  the  thatched 
cottages  seem  almost  to  have  been  inspired  by  the  long,  soft,  hipped  lines  of  the 
carefully  stacked  haymows;  and  the  roofs  themselves,  often  green  with  moss  or 
with  the  ridges  a  growing  mass  of  fleurs-de-lis,  of  course,  blend  beautifully  with  the 
landscape. 

In  central  France  are  found  many  brick  or  white  walled  cottages  with  tile  or 
thatch  roofs,  while  in  the  southern  parts  most  buildings  have  the  flavor  and  sug- 
gestion of  Italy  or  Spain,  with  large  expanses  of  white  stucco  walls,  symmetrically 
placed  openings,  and  roll  tile  roofs  with  wide  overhangs  at  the  eaves,  as  illustrated 
in  Plates  35  and  36. 

Among  the  illustrations,  Plate  3  shows  a  Brittany  cottage  of  roughly  faced  local 
stone  and  thatched  roof,  as  does  Plate  30.  The  thatch  ridge  has  blossomed  forth 
in  flowers,  and  though  the  wall  has  been  patched  out,  the  effect  is  snug  and  pleas- 
ing in  line.  Plate  5  is  an  example  of  a  brick  cottage  set  down  behind  its  garden 
and  buried  in  vines.  The  hipped  end  of  the  roof  is  carried  down  nearly  to  the 
ground  in  a  shed  roof.  Plates  8,  9,  14,  and  17  are  examples  of  half-timbered  cot- 
tages, the  half-timber  frieze  in  the  cottages  near  Beuzeville  and  Totes  being  often 
seen  in  such  little  buildings.  The  cottage  at  Quievercourt  on  Plate  23  has  an 
unusual  treatment  of  the  chimney,  buttresses  flanking  its  base,  while  Plate  29 
shows  a  decorated  brick-and-stone  treatment  of  the  chimney.  The  overhanging 
eaves  at  the  end  shelter  the  stairway  to  the  loft. 

5 


Plate  4.     Typical  old  Brittany  cottage 


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17 


Plate  8.     Roadside  cottage  near  Beuzeville,  Eure 


Plate  9.     Cottage  at  Luneray,  Seine-Inferieure 


19 


21 


Plate   ii.     Cottage  near  Totes,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  12.     Cottage  near  Totes,  Seine-Inferieure 

23 


Plate  13.     Farm  cottage  near  Beaufay,  Sarthe 


Plate  14.     Cottage  near  Totes,  Seine-Inferieure 
A  typical  thatched-roof  cottage  of  Normandy  with  hedge  in  the  foreground  and  background  of  slender  poplars 


25 


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IPr.. 

Plate  i8.     Hamlet  near  L'Amaury,  Seine-et-Oise 


Plate  19.     Cottage  near  Amfreville,  Eure 


33 


Plate  20.     Farm  at  Bieville-en-Ange,  Calvados 


Plate  21.     Roadside  cottage  near  Authon,  Eure-et-Loir 


35 


Plate  22.      Ham'.et  near  Yerville,  Seine  Inferieure 


Plate  2$.      Cottage  near  Quievercourt,  Seine  Inferieure 

37 


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43 


Plate  27.     An  entrance  to  Montfort,  Seine-et-Oise 


Plate  28.    Village  street,  Montfort,  Seine-et-Oise 


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Plate  32.     Farmhouse  at  Marolles,  Calvados 


Plate  33.     House  in  the   Donloune  Valley 


53 


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55 


Plate  35.     Cottage  near  Ste.  Foy-la-Grande,  Gironde 


Plate  36.     Cottage  near  Bergerac,  Donlogne 
57 


CHURCHES      AND      CHAPELS 

Somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  the  chateaux  of  France  there  grew  up  villages 
where  lived  the  peasants  dependent  on  the  great  families  for  their  hire.  The  chapel 
or  church  was  built  to  fill  the  needs  of  these  little  communities  and  the  surround- 
ing district,  sometimes  forming  one  of  the  buildings  of  the  chateau  group  proper, 
or  else  being  near  by  at  the  cross-roads  in  the  chateau  hamlet. 

A  Normandy  type,  of  which  Plates  38,  42,  and  45  are  good  examples,  is  par- 
ticularly interesting  for  gabled  towers,  a  treatment  capable  of  excellent  and  vari- 
able proportions.  The  tower  of  the  chapel  near  Brecy  has  a  chunky,  solid  shape, 
that  at  Yaucelle  a  feeling  of  more  taper  and  grace,  while  the  tower  of  the  chapel 
at  Gratot  reaches  up  to  the  sky  like  a  lofty  sentinel.  The  towers  are  placed  at 
different  points  on  the  plans,  over  the  crossing,  astride  the  ridge,  and  at  the  en- 
trance. Other  examples  would  show  the  same  freedom  and  variety.  It  is  inter- 
esting to  note  the  impressiveness  of  these  simple  towers  and  their  grace  of  line,  the 
latter  due  for  the  most  part  to  the  proper  use  of  battered  sides.  The  window 
openings  are  minimum  even  in  the  belfry,  lending  a  solidity  to  the  massive  walls. 
The  texture  of  the  gray  stone  walls  and  their  proportions  seem  to  be  of  sufficient 
value  to  give  them  architectural  excellence.  The  battering  of  the  walls  in  most 
cases  made  buttresses  unnecessary  from  a  constructive  standpoint. 

The  little  chapel  at  Romorantin  is  very  attractive  in  its  setting,  and  in  design 
represents  simplicity  itself;  while  the  chateau  chapel  at  Millancay,  with  its  round- 
headed,  white-trimmed  windows,  and  truly  Georgian  cupola,  seems  very  suggestive 
of  our  buildings  of  the  Georgian  period. 

Some  stray  influence  created  the  church  at  Daoulas  (Plate  43)  with  its  very 
quaint  and  unusual  gable  and  belfry  of  rather  Belgian  design.  Plate  46  shows  a 
very  picturesque  grouping  of  roofs — flat  slate  roofs  with  the  roll-tile  ridges.  The 
interiors  of  these  simple  churches  are  not  so  worthy  of  comment.  Except  for  the 
utter  simplicity  of  their  podged  or  plastered  walls  and  the  unadorned  rafters  and 
ties,  grown  gray  with  age,  there  is  little  to  note. 


59 


Plate  37.      Chapel  at  Romorantin,  Loir-et-Cher 


Plate  38.     Farm  chapel  near  Brecy,  Calvados 
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Plate  44.     Pont  Audemer,  Eure 


Plate  45.     Cliapel  at  Chateau  Gratot,  near  Coutances,  Manche 


69 


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71 


TOWN      HOUSES 

The  buildings  included  under  this  title  are  chiefly  those  of  the  smaller  towns, 
although  one  or  two  houses  included  were  found  in  cities,  sometimes  incongruously 
jammed  between  more  pretentious  and  modern  structures. 

The  roof  is  considered  a  most  important  part  of  the  design,  as  in  the  country, 
giving  to  the  small  old  town  the  broken  silhouette  so  usual  in  France,  a  picturesque 
medley  of  gabled,  hipped,  and  mansard  roofs,  cut  with  dormers,  crowned  with 
finials,  and  broken  with  multitudinous  chimney-pots.  In  many  of  the  old  towns  the 
streets  are  narrow  and  cobbled,  meandering  up  the  natural  slopes  and  often  end- 
ing in  picturesque  courts  and  "cul-de-sacs."  In  the  old  hall-timbered  towns  these 
narrow  streets,  lined  with  the  ancient  stucco  and  wood  houses,  are  fascinating  in 
color,  their  grays  and  yellows  set  off  with  bright  flowers  in  window-pots.  But 
they  are  either  difficult  to  photograph  or  much  of  the  effect  depends  on  the  whole 
pleasantly  jumbled  mass  and  few  of  the  individual  houses  present  in  themselves 
enough  value  to  include. 

The  lower  or  street  floor,  almost  invariably  flush  with  the  cobbles  of  the  street, 
is  usually  given  over  to  a  shop  or  more  often  a  cafe,  and  the  floor  above  to  the 
quarters  of  the  patron  and  his  family.  The  interiors,  save  for  the  refreshing 
coolness  and  bright  bebottled  cupboards,  present  little  of  interest.  The  chief  at- 
tempt at  architectural  interest  occurs  in  the  carved  dormers,  turrets,  corbels,  in 
finials  and  in  some  instances  in  the  elaborated  carving  of  the  timber  of  the  whole 
facade.  The  majority  of  the  half-timbered  buildings  are  Gothic,  the  detail  having 
a  quaintness  and  piquancy  seldom  found  in  ecclesiastical  work.  Rarely  is  there 
any  attempt  whatsoever  at  symmetry;  in  fact,  there  seems  to  have  been  a  com- 
plete abhorrence  of  it,  resulting  in  much  picturesqueness.  Some  of  the  interest- 
ing features  of  the  subjects  included  are  as  follows: 

Plate  47  is  a  stone  shop  in  Brittany  with  the  chief  interest  centred  in  an  elabor- 
ately carved  stone  dormer;  Plate  48  an  early  Gothic  gable  end  with  wide  wall  sur- 
faces, heavily  accented  belt  courses,  and  unusual  double  ogival  curves  over  the 
windows;  Plate  53  shows  an  interesting  contrast  between  the  narrow  richly  carved 
half-timbered  house  and  the  more  simple  and  generous  corner  house  adjacent  to  it. 
Brick  and  flint  pattern  work  has  been  used  on  the  gable  end  of  the  little  house  on 
Plate  59,  the  contrast  between  the  salmon  color  of  brick  and  weathered  stone  not 
being  too  strong  in  reality. 

That  it  is  possible  to  obtain  an  excellent  effect  by  simple  means,  is  shown  by 
Plate  60,  where  plain  wall  surface,  broken  only  in  heavy  courses  of  corbels,  has 

73 


TOWN   HOUSES 

been  so  proportioned  that  there  is  much  charm  in  the  effect.  Note  that  in  the 
building  in  Plate  62  the  overhanging  second-story  porch  is  nicely  carried  on  wood 
brackets,  and  below,  that  the  openings  have  Gothic  arches.  On  Plate  63  is  an 
example  of  a  symmetrical  design  which  has  been  given  an  informal  character  by 
the  materials  themselves,  buttered  stone  walls  and  irregular  pan-tile  roofing.  The 
loggia  is  an  interesting  feature,  Italian  in  character,  with  a  beamed  ceiling,  though 
it  has  been  unfortunately  marred  bv  modern  window-sash. 


74 


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75 


Plate  48.     House  at  Landerneau,  Finistere 
77 


Plate  49.     House  at  Landerneau,  Finistere 


Plate  50.     Hotel  des  Trois  Piliers,  Landerneau,  Finistere 

79 


Plate  51.     House  at  Hennebont,  Morbihan 

81 


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13 


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83 


Plate  53.     Le  Mans,  Sarthe 
85 


Plate  54.     On  the  ramparts,  Mont  St.  Michel,  Manche 


Plate  55.     Nogent-le-Rotrou,  Eure-et-Loir 

87 


89 


Plate  57.     House  at  Compiegne,  Oise 


91 


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Plate  59.     House  at  Verneuil,  Eure 
95 


Plate  60.    An  old  town  house 
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III 


Plate  71.     House  at  Arnay-le-Duc,  Cote-d'Or 
113 


CHATEAUX,      MANORS,     AND      FAR  M 

GROUPS 

The  buildings  illustrated  in  this  chapter  are  those  which  through  some  pre- 
tense of  elegance  or  size  cannot  be  classed  as  cottages  or  peasant  buildings.  They 
form  themselves  into  three  general  groups:  chateaux,  manors,  and  the  larger  farms 
or  farm  groups.  It  is  in  these  types  that  perhaps  the  more  interesting  studies  of 
French  rural  architecture  exist,  for  the  fact  that  in  them  is  discernible  a  more  or 
less  conscious  attempt  at  a  truly  architectural  design,  differentiating  them  at  once 
from  the  simpler  dwellings,  where  the  result,  however  attractive,  has  been  arrived 
at  by  unconscious  native  artistry  and  the  pleasant  combination  of  local  materials. 

The  chateaux  illustrated  are  few  in  number,  for  it  has  been  our  idea  to  avoid 
buildings  of  any  great  pretension,  the  ones  included  being  the  smaller  ones  in 
most  cases. 

Chateau  Gratot,  on  Plate  75,  is  just  such  a  one,  a  group  of  buildings  around  a 
court,  unsymmetrical  except  for  the  farm  buildings  flanking  the  entrance.  The 
chateau  is  one  of  those  early  Normandy  examples,  quite  mediaeval  in  every  way. 

The  Chateau  Brecy,  a  Renaissance  group,  near  Bayeux  in  Calvados,  shown  on 
Plates  116,  117,  118,  and  119,  is  the  most  elaborate  chateau  that  has  been  included. 
The  buildings,  however,  are  small  and  comparatively  little  known,  though  they 
form,  with  the  gardens,  an  unusually  complete  and  beautiful  whole.  The  most 
interesting  feature  is  the  plan,  owing  to  the  use  of  the  sloping  site  with  a  walled 
garden  of  ascending  terraces,  rising  up  to  a  richly  ornamented  gateway,  which 
opens  toward  farm  lands  beyond.  No  element  of  symmetrical  treatment  has  been 
omitted,  except  slight  variations  in  the  court  facades  of  the  farm  buildings  which 
flank  the  entrance-court.  As  may  be  seen  from  the  plates,  the  stone  detail  of 
gateway,  doorways,  and  other  detail  has  been  richly  and  beautifully  carved.  In 
the  garden  the  wall  treatment  of  the  lowest  terrace  with  Doric  and  Ionic  pilasters, 
the  arrangement  of  terraces,  the  detail  of  gates,  steps,  and  walls,  have  been  at- 
tractively handled. 

Chateau  le  Pin  (Plate  121)  has  well-proportioned  and  nicely  composed  facade, 
made  lively  with  the  contrasting  bands,  quoins,  and  panels  of  stone  and  brick. 
Note  that  the  fenestration  of  the  central  pavillion  is  not  symmetrical,  and  yet  the 
result,  judging  from  the  photograph,  has  been  insured  thereby  from  being  too  dry. 

Plate  132  shows  an  interesting  and  original  wrought-iron  gateway,  effective 
against  the  chateau  beyond,  which  itself  is  rather  good  in  mass  and  composition. 
The  design  of  the  chateau  is  attributed  to  J.  H.  Mansart. 

"5 


CHATEAUX,    MANORS,   AND   FARM   GROUPS 

Chateau  de  St.  Germain-de-Livet  (Plate  124)  is  a  sixteenth-century  building  of 
composite  architecture.  The  chateau  proper  has  its  wall  in  that  colorful  pattern 
of  flint  and  salmon-pink  bricks,  very  effective  play  of  color  resulting,  it  the  eye  is 
not  distracted  by  too  much  of  it  at  a  time. 

Plate  125,  a  sketch  of  the  Chateau  tie  Cantepie,  shows  the  original  building 
with  the  towered  pavillion  of  more  modern  design  at  the  left  rear,  which  has  the 
style  but  not  the  character  of  the  old  portion.  The  facade  in  the  sketch  suggests  a 
very  excellent  and  clever  treatment  tor  a  two-and-a-half-story  house,  the  breaking 
of  the  eaves  over  the  second-story  windows  and  under  the  dormers  serving  to  tie 
the  composition  together  in  an  attractive  manner.  Note  the  use  of  high  finials 
at  the  peak  of  the  dormer  roofs. 

Manors,  smaller  than  chateaux  as  a  rule  and  more  pretentious  than  simple 
farmhouses,  are  scattered  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  France.  They 
were  built  after  the  passing  of  Feudalism  by  the  more  prosperous  independent 
farmers  who,  without  being  of  noble  birth,  had  yet  more  position  and  wealth  than 
the  peasants.  It  is  in  this  type  of  building  that  many  fine  examples  exist,  for  a 
definite  attempt  at  design  has  been  made  without  the  more  formal  pretensions  of 
a  chateau.  The  buildings  usually  are  several:  a  main  dwelling  and  farm  buildings 
flanking  a  court,  detached  or  connected  with  a  masonry  wall,  as  well  as  an  entrance- 
lodge  or  gateway  and  other  isolated  buildings,  such  as  pigeon-houses  or  well- 
houses.  The  use  of  the  court  wall  tends  to  tie  the  whole  together  and  has  brought 
about  many  interesting  effects.  Such  a  result  is  illustrated  on  Plate  72,  where 
the  wall  between  the  flanking  farm  buildings  has  been  carried  the  full  height  of 
the  building  wall.  The  continuity  of  the  eave-line  is  largely  accountable  for  the 
pleasing  result. 

The  encircling  wall  of  the  manor  near  Demigny,  also  shown  on  Plate  154,  has 
been  capped  with  tile  roofing.  Note  the  main  arched  entrance  for  farm  vehicles 
and  the  smaller  entrance  at  the  side  for  pedestrians. 

The  manor  near  Libourne  (Plates  151,  152,  153)  is  of  the  southern  or  Italian 
type.  On  account  of  the  thick  trees  set  about  it  and  on  the  garden  terrace  it  was 
almost  impossible  to  photograph.  The  raised  grass  terrace  enclosed  with  a  balus- 
trade and  bordered  with  a  moat  is  the  most  attractive  and  unusual  feature.  There 
are  four  big  linden-trees  on  the  terrace,  spaced  carefully  in  relation  to  the  terrace 
and  house,  which  add  much  interest  to  the  garden  side  of  the  building. 

The  garden-house  near  Hennebont,  on  Plates  74  and  76,  overlooks  the  Blaret 
River.  The  loggia  treatment  with  brackets  to  the  garden-wall,  the  quaint  mansard 
roof,  overhanging  dormer  roofs,  and  little  tower  make  a  very  pleasing  composition. 

The  farmhouse  at  St.  Pierre-le-Viger,  shown  on  Plates  83  and  114,  is  an  exam- 
ple of  the  larger  type  of  farm  that  has  numerous  buildings  connected  by  a  wall 
forming  a  very  large  court  planted  with  an  orchard  of  fruit-trees.  Though  the 
buildings  are  not  symmetrical  in  mass  or  location,  there  is  an  axis  line  established 

116 


CHATEAUX,    MANORS,   AND    FARM    GROUPS 

through  the  entrance-gates  and  the  main  farm  residence,  and  the  planting  of  the 
trees  has  been  balanced  on  this  axis.     The  farmhouse  at  Esclarelles,  on  Plate  85, 

shows  an  unusual  beaver-tail  roof,  which  carries  down  close  to  the  ground.  The 
farmhouse,  on  Plate  90,  has  a  good  treatment  of  mass  for  a  sloping  site  and  shows 
the  frieze-board  usual  in  that  locality  over  the  windows,  and  a  rather  typical  open 
shed  for  vehicles.  In  the  farm  group,  on  Plate  95,  is  a  good  example  of  the  farm- 
court,  beyond  the  entrance-pavilion,  with  the  flanking  sheds  and  farmhouses, 
barns,  etc.,  forming  the  other  sides  of  the  square.  There  is  something  well  knit 
and  at  the  same  time  picturesque  about  these  groups. 

The  manor  at  Arques-la-Bataille  (Plates  97  and  156)  is  the  rather  well-known 
Normandy  manor,  where  the  stable  shown  on  the  plate  is  almost  a  replica  of  the 
main  dwelling,  separated  from  it  by  a  garden.  The  stepped  gables  and  nicely 
fenestrated  facades  have  been  enlivened  by  the  judicious  use  ot  flint  inserts  in  pat- 
tern and  bands.  Another  example  of  such  ornamentation  of  brickwork  is  shown  on 
Plate  99,  the  inserts  in  the  cornice  having  more  lively  decorative  effect  than  true 
modillions.  On  Plate  105  is  an  example  of  brick  set  to  form  quoins  and  bands, 
while  Plate  106  shows  an  all-over  wall  pattern.  The  farm  building  near  St.  Leger 
(Plate  in)  is  interesting  for  its  roof  and  mass,  the  photograph  unfortunately 
being  valuable  on  that  account  only.  Plates  112,  113,  and  115  give  a  very  good 
idea  of  the  half-timber  work  of  Normandy,  showing  it  to  be  truly  structural. 

The  farm  near  Gourdon,  in  the  province  of  Lot,  Plate  145,  has  a  very  interest- 
ing towered  building  for  the  residence  of  the  farmer,  while  the  sheds  and  barns 
have  been  tied  into  the  house  with  a  long  ridged  roof  whose  eaves  hug  the  ground. 
Plate  144  shows  the  use  of  glazed  tile  in  patterns  on  the  roof,  the  ridge-lines  set 
off  with  white  cement. 


117 


H9 


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Hi 


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G 
to 

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p 


o 

PI 


3 
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I 

o 


<: 
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Pw 


121 


a 
o 

a 
a 


3 
O 

-a 


O 


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H 


1*1 


123 


Plate  75.     Chateau  Gratot,  near  Coutances,  Manche 


jfl     HUB    m&i^Jk.  ■ 

JHp;      ^ 

.■JtfOTi 

Sb           1 

Plate  76.     Garden-house  near  Hennebont,  Morbihan 
12; 


< 


127 


Plate  78.     Farm  on  Blaret  River  above  Hennebont,  Morbihan 


Plate  79.     House  at  Guiscard 


129 


i3i 


^■nagjp^pW 


V 


V, 

3 
\\ 

to 

0    r 

o   : 

V 

I 

I: 

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1 

m 


fflftft  t 

Mill      r- 


aiQcb  a=a  oDqQ£H 


Wfe 


to 
o 
-e 

o 


u 


133 


o 

1-1 


d 

C/3 


PQ 


o 


w 

< 
■J 
PL. 


135 


137 


139 


%*   r.  §. 

1       .#%■ 

Plate  8>     House  at  Esclarelles,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  86.     Manor  near  Freullcville,  Seine-Inferieure 


HI 


J3 
u 

CD 


a 

a) 
H 

•4-t 

a 

w 


oo 

w 

H 

Oh 


3 

CD 


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CD 


9 

CD 


CD 

9 


s 


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H3 


Plate  89.     Manor  farmyard  near  Freulleville,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  90.     Farmhouse  near  Lisieux,  Calvados 


145 


Plate  qi.     Farmyard  side  of  manor  near  Bures,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  92.     Manor  gate  near  Bures,  Seine-Inferieure 


H7 


Plate  93.     Farmyard,  manor  near  Bures,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  94.     Farm  buildings,  manor  near  Bures,  Seine-Inferieure 


149 


Plate  95.     Farm  group  near  Neufchatel,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  96.     Horse  farm  near  Nogent-le-Rotrou,  Eure-et-Loir 


151 


ri'i 

Hjgy^y 

Plate  97.     Manor  stables  at  Arques-la-Bataille,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  98.     Manor  at  Esclarelles,  Seine-Inferieure 


153 


Plate  99.     Manor  at  Croixdalle,  Seine-Inferieure 


f— „ 

C    ^MK 

TtM              3SSBHI 

^3» 

1                    ii 

I  r  III 

1 , 

1M 

■MB     v 

•  ^   2    .'   /rL-~v«i*a§*« « 

Plate  100.     Inn  near  Bourdamville,  Seine-Inferieure 


155 


Plate  ioi.     Chateau  de  Bemecourt,  Eure 


Plate  102.     Sixteenth-century  manor,  Monteille,  Calvados 

157 


Plate  103.     Gateway,  Manoir  d'Ango,  Varengeville,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  104.     Entrance  to  courtyard,  Manoir  d'Ango,  Varengeville,  Seine-Inferieurt 


159 


1      ^ 

••.r^jL^. 

«» 

--■^91  "*"& 

1  .      ..-,^5^ 

;■.       - 

. 

^  •  *■        *. 
...  *    ■■■'** 

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1.         ■               ■'                 J 

» 

t 

r  i'.    "... 

s 

Plate  105.     Farmhouse  near  Yerville,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  106.     Manor  near  Lintot,  Seine-Inferieure 


l6l 


3 

'C 

CO 


O 


o 

a 


W 
H 


163 


Plate  108.     Stables  near  Brecv,  Calvados 


Plate  iog.     Farmyard  near  Brecv,  Calvados 


165 


Plate  ho.     Farmyard,  St.  Jean-de-Follerville,  Seine-Inferieure 


.-;  -  A  ' 


Plate  hi.     Farm  building  near  St.  Leger,  Saone-et-Loire 


167 


Plate  112.     Farmyard  near  Brezolles,  Eure-et-Loir 


Plate  113.     Stable  near  Brezolles,  Eure-et-Loir 


169 


Plate   114.     Farmhouse  at  St.  Pierre-Ie-Viger,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  115.     Farm  building  near  Brezolles,  Eure-et-Loir 


171 


i_n-n_rLn  psh 
ru-u-unJLrLr 


71 


u 


» 


- 


T3 

rt 


3 

o 


c 

-t-> 

c 

w 


H 


173 


, 


o 

-o 

id 

> 

u 


£ 

M 


a 


U 


w 


w 

H 
< 


175 


5£^«  fe"Kf 


■ 


«* 


Plate  118.     General  plan  of  Chateau  de  Brecy,  near  Bayeux,  Calvados 

177 


»  "* 


Plate  iiq.     Chateau  de  Brecy,  near  Bayeux,  Calvados 


Plate  120.     Farm  near  St.  Leper,  Sa6ne-et-Loire 
179 


I:,.,  ■:%  .    $r, 


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3;*'-^  :<^J=s   'ft  ' 

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181 


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U 

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u 


183 


3 


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a 


CO 


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a 

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191 


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fe 


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193 


Plate  129.     Farmhouse  near  Le  Neubourg,  Eure 


- 

1 

t-     rjMFt*                       Off  — 

* 

JHrT     '*/&                     ^HBHEt^  » 

'Ijj^^l 

HjlKZ  N*rVBr^  '         1  aid 

^    11 

Plate  130.     Farmhouse  at  Monthelon,  Saone-et-Loire 


195 


Plate  131.     Chateau  near  Millancay,  Loir-et-Cher 


Plate  152.     Horse-farm  courtyard  near  Nogent-le-Rotrou,  Eure-et-Loir 

197 


199 


201 


o 


c 
•o 

a3 


60 


c 


20S 


ios 


Plate  137.     Farm  near  Gourdon,  Lot 


I 

U      * 

-  :"^c  j& 

JO 

i 

"^ 

4        1 

>A/\ 

Plate  13S.     Manoir  Duval,  near  Freulleville,  Seine-Inferieure 


207 


a  2 

O  8 

o  g 

1-  3 


c    .5 


o 

"}     M 


H     _e 


209 


** 


Plate   140.     Farm  group  near  Rambouillet,  Seine-et-Oise 


WiJf 


Plate  141.     Stable  yard  near  Demigny,  Sadne-et-Loire 

21  I 


Plate  142.     Farm  near  La  Remuee,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  143.     Mill  near  Murat,  Cantal 


213 


Plate   144.     Farm  near  Domme,  Dordogne 


Plate  145.     Farm  group  near  Gourdon,  Lot 


215 


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a 

bo 

o 

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o 

Q 


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217 


Plate  147.     Manor  at  Vaucelles,  Calvados 


219 


Plate  148.     Gatehouse  of  Chateau  de  Royalhen,  South  Compiegne 

221 


Plate  149.     House  at  St.  Symphories,  Tours 


Plate  150.     House  at  St.  Symphories,  Tours 


22^5 


/>" 


oo 


■.■■'■  '■rTU'.'-.i.i  ■.  — ■.;.-  '.■!.:.;.w,.-,..:.»:;,l 


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o 


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o 

o 


j-**fr  7i< 


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P/-JJAT  Or  Mjtawz  TYcpfje  L/3oi/&W£  Gibowdc 


Plate  151.     Plan  of  manor  near  Libourne,  Gironde 


a 
o 

H 

b 


3 
O 


E 


e 
o 


> 
0> 


c 

i-, 

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< 


227 


^a 


MM 

MM 


B=0=C 

MM 
MM 


3fc=0=fl 


C 

o 

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b 


S       S3 


3 


1  i 

en 


hi 


229 


Plate  154.     Farm  entrance,  manor  near  Demigny,  Saone-et-Loire 


Plate  155.     Stable  near  St.  Emilion,  Gironde 


231 


to 

to 

23 


O 

3 


w 


233 


DETAILS 

Among  the  miscellaneous  details  which  present  the  most  interest  are  gateways, 
of  which  there  are  found  chiefly  two  varieties— the  large  gateway  or  pavillion 
which  usually  forms  the  entrance  to  the  farmyard  or  court  of  a  manor  or  large 
farm  group,  and  the  smaller  garden  gateway,  not  intended  tor  the  passage  of 
vehicles.  There  are  included  several  examples  of  each.  Plates  [69,  173,  and  174 
are  examples  ot  the  entrances  to  farmyard  or  court,  and  Plates  [68,  170,  1S0,  and 
181  are  good  examples  ot  the  types  ot  garden  gates.  The  hold  moulding  in  the 
gate  illustrated  on  Plate  180  is  in  harmony  with  the  adjacent  rubble  wall,  and  the 
split  pediment,  undoubtedly  tor  planting,  is  of  interest.  We  were  very  much  pleased 
with  the  discovery  ot  the  thatched  tarm  entrance  on  Plates  157  ami  174,  which  is 
such  an  unusual  and  altogether  charming  combination.  The  gateway  shown  on 
Plate  173  illustrates  the  horizontal  striped  treatment  ot  brick  and  stone,  typical 
ot  Normandy.  The  massive  stone  gate-posts  forming  the  entrance  to  the  court  ot 
Chateau  St.  Georges  on  Plate  183,  tremendous  in  scale  and  ot  bold  and  unusual 
detail,  have  an  impressiveness  that  a  designer  of  to-day  would  find  hard  to  origi- 
nate. 

Plate  168,  a  carved  stone  Renaissance  gateways  suggestive  of  Italian  design, 
represents  the  more  elaborate  garden  design,  while  the  gates  on  Plates  181  and  182 
illustrate  a  bolder,  simpler  style  ot  less  pretentious  gardens.  There  are  several 
excellent  gateways  on  the  terraces  of  Chateau  Brecy,  the  one  shown  on  Plate  170 
being  at  the  end  of  the  ascending  terraces  on  axis  with  the  house  and  opening  out 
from  the  uppermost  garden  wall  to  the  farm  lands  beyond. 

Besides  the  gateways,  interesting  details  are  doorways,  pigeon-houses,  well- 
heads, and  such  occasional  details  as  the  balustrade  at  Billom  with  its  use  of 
masques  and  crisp  balusters.  The  pigeon-house  seems  to  have  been  an  almost 
indispensable  part  of  a  farm  group,  being  invariably  a  picturesque  feature,  dis- 
tinct by  itself  of  each  farm  court.  The  circular  pigeon-house  at  La  Grande 
Verriere  on  Plate  158  has  an  unusual  curved  flight  of  stone  steps  supported  by  a 
stone  column,  while  the  one  at  the  Manoir  Duval  shows  a  rather  elaborate  brick 
corbelled  cornice  and  stocky  solid  proportion.  Both  of  these  are  circular  in  plan, 
one  of  stucco  and  the  other  ot  brick,  while  Plate  160  shows  an  example  ot  an 
octagonal  cut  stone  tower,  with  a  conical  tile  roof,  which  changes  again  to  an 
octagonal-shaped  base  below  a  round  cupola. 


235 


rw^t* 


Plate  157.     Farm-gate  near  La  Remuee,  Seine-Inferieure 

237 


Q  § 

o    *E 

P3  V 


3    GO 

o 


60 

5 


w 

H 


d 

a! 

M 

o 

«  s 

aj    h-J 
3    i 

O     C 

g  m 

<u 

to 


►J 

Cm 


239 


o 


o 


M 


P 
o 


o 


141 


Plate  161.     Pigeon-house  near  Chartres 
243 


-  -W* 


I    ■ 


Plate  162.    An  octagonal  pigeon-house 

245 


o 
•I 

e 


**£ 


bo 

c 


w 

i-l 

a, 


E 


-a 

CO 


_3 


H 


^47 


Plate  165.     Loggia,  Manoir  d'Ango,  Varengeville,  Seine  Inferieure 


Plate  166.    Detail,  house  at  Verneuil,  Eure 


!4<> 


Plate  167.    Bridge  at  Venddme,  Loir-et-Cher 
251 


Plate  168.     Garden-gate,  Chateau  de  Sorel,  Dreux,  Eure 

253 


Plate  169.     Farm  gate  near  St.  Jean-de-Follerville,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  170.     Gate  from  garden  to  farm,  Chateau  de  Brecy,  mar  Haveu.x 

255 


o 


<o 

c/5 


a 
o 


o 
o 

-a 


3 

o 

-= 

S 

fa 


a 

H 

<: 
>-> 

Oh 


257 


Plate  172.     Gate  near  Evreux,  Eure 


Plate  173.     Farm-gate  near  St.  Jean-de-Follerville,  Seine-Inferieure 


259 


26l 


- 


3 


o 
o 

a 


_ 


^5 


263 


i 


-  -^  '  .  -/^/-  Jr\Jfm^.\.  -,-.■■  ■;'-  .';V*  .     )•• 


265 


Plate  178.     Church  entrance  at  Honfleur,  Seine-Inferieure 


Plate  179.     Farm  entrance  near  Lintot,  Seine-Inferieure 


'67 


Plate  180.     Detail  of  stone  garden-gate  of  house  at  Brion,  Saone-et-Loire 

269 


271 


a 


a 

be 
i 

d 
<u 
-a 
1-1 

O 


w 

H 
< 


273 


< 


3 

3 


so 


O 


-a 


275 


